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The evil of Shaytaan is limited to six categories, he continues [to assault] mankind until he succeeds in one or more of them:1) The evil of polytheism and disbelief;

2) Then innovations;

3) Next are the major sins;

4) Then the minor sins;

5) Subsequently, busying people with practicing Mubahaat [1] instead of practicing good deeds [that one is rewarded for];

6) Next is busying them with practicing deeds which are good instead of deeds which are better.

The reasons that safeguard a servant from the Shaytaan are ten:

1) Seeking refuge with Allaah from him;

2) Reading al Mu’awathatain [Surat an Nas and Surat al Falaq];

3) Reading Ayatul Kursi;

4) Reading Surat al Baqarah;

5) Reading the ending of Surat al Baqarah [last two verses];

6) The believer reading from the beginning of {Haa Meem.} until {to Him is the final return.} [Ghafir: 1-3];

7) Saying what translated means: ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah, alone having no partners, to him belongs the dominion, to him belongs all praise, and He has the ability to do all things.’ One hundred times;

FOOTNOTES:
[1] Actions that one is neither ordered to or prohibited from performing specifically, such as eating or sleeping.
[Compiled by as Sa'dee from Ibnul Qayim's book: Badaa-'i al fawaa-id. Tareeq al Wusool ila al 'Ilm al Mawool: p.129]

QUESTIONS: Actions that one is neither ordered to or prohibited from performing specifically, such as eating or sleeping.~ what does this mean? specifically?

ANSWER:
“[1] Actions that one is neither ordered to or prohibited from performing specifically, such as eating or sleeping.”
is an explanation of the word mubuhaat. Mubuhaat is plural for mubah (permissible). The deeds of man fall into five categories:
1) COMPULSORY (good deed if done – sin if left out)
2) RECOMMENDED (good deed if done – no sin if left out)
3) OPTIONAL (mubah) (no good deed if done – no sin if left out)
4) DISLIKED (good deed if left out – no sin if done)
5) FORBIDDEN (good deed if left out – sin if done)
ALL deeds one does throughout the day fall into one of these five categories.
So the fifth attack of shaytaan reads: “Subsequently, busying people with practicing Mubahaat [1] instead of practicing good deeds [that one is rewarded for]” which means that one does an optional deed (which is neither rewarded or punished for) in his free time when he could have been doing a recommended deed.
Some examples of this could be:
a) Listening to the radio, when one can listen to an Islamic lecture instead,
b) Looking out the window in a long car journey, when one can read a book instead (if you’re a passenger of course)
And the examples can be many.
As for the word “specifically” in the above statement, then he (ra) is referring to deeds which have not been specifically mentioned as rewardable or punishable, hence why these acts fall under the mubah category. One does not get rewards or sins for sleeping, one does not get rewards or sins for eating, likewise there are many acts which one does for which he or she does not get any rewards or sins for. And it is these acts which Shaytaan makes one preoccupy his time in when he could be doing rewardable deeds.
As we know, on the day of Judgement the people will be split into three categories:
a) Those of the left hand (as-haabush shimaal)
b) Those of the right hand (as-haabul yameen)
c) The forerunners, who are brought close to Allaah (Saabiqoon / Muqarraboon)
And the proof for this is numerous in the Book of Allaah. After mentioning the terrors of the day of Judgement in surah waaq’iah (56) Allaah says; “…you will become of three kinds (i.e. separate groups): So the Companions of the Right Hand, Who will be those on the Right Hand? And the Companions of the Left Hand, Who will be those on the Left Hand? And the Forerunners, the Forerunners – they are the ones nearest to Allah. In the Gardens of delight (Paradise)…”
And like we know Jannah and jahannam have many levels to it. Allaah says; “For all there will be degrees [or ranks] according to what they did.” [6:132] and we know that “…the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths [grade] of the fire…” [4:145]
So the more ones good deeds are, the higher one’s level is, in Jannah. Hence preoccupying oneself in beneficial deeds in ones free time increases one status in the sight of Allaah and increases ones level in Jannah. As the prophet (saw) mentioned; “…Pay attention to that which benefits you…” [Saheeh Muslim]
Also Allaah says; “…so strive as in a race in good deeds…” [5:48]
Likewise; in the hadeeth qudsee where the prophet (saw) mentioned that Allaah says; “My slave continues to draw near to Me by performing optional deeds such that I love him…” [Bukhaari]
So it is in preoccupying oneself in good deeds when one is free which attains Allaah’s pleasure and the opposite of this is what is hoped of by Shaytaan and what Ibn Al-Qayyim was referring to when he mentioned; “Subsequently, busying people with practicing Mubahaat [1] instead of practicing good deeds [that one is rewarded for]”